Examining The Need For Preventative Maintenance With Business Technology

For Biz Tech, Preventative Maintenance Matters

Most businesses place a major emphasis on acquiring the right technology - and rightly so. But as much attention as these companies place on finding and integrating the best tech hardware, very little focus is given to protecting and maintaining these systems. Not only is this short-sighted, but it can also be rather expensive. The solution is preventative maintenance.

Here’s Why Preventative Maintenance Matters

According to Fiix Software, “[Preventative maintenance] is maintenance that is regularly performed on a piece of equipment to lessen the likelihood of it failing. It is performed while the equipment is still working so that it does not break down unexpectedly.”

Preventative maintenance works in a number of different ways, but is typically planned out ahead of time to ensure that any required resources are available at the time they’re needed.

“The maintenance is scheduled based on a time or usage trigger,” Fiix Software points out. “A typical example of an asset with a time-based preventative maintenance program schedule is an air-conditioner which is serviced every year, before summer. A typical example of an asset with a usage-based preventative maintenance program schedule is a motor-vehicle which might be scheduled for service every 10,000km.”

But why does preventative maintenance matter? In other words, what’s the long-term gain when compared to just performing repairs as needs arise? Well, when it comes to technology, here are a few key reasons businesses favor being proactive over reactive:

1. Lower Costs

It’s typically a whole lot cheaper to fix an isolated problem ahead of time, before it becomes a bigger problem in the future. Preventative maintenance allows businesses to identify problems earlier on so that little issues don’t become big issues.

Take the fan in a computer as an example. Fixing a fan before it breaks down could prevent entire pieces of the computer from melting and becoming inoperable (a much more expensive problem) in a serious breakdown.

2. Less Downtime

“When we work with companies to inspect their facilities and systems, we’re typically brought in to preemptively address any and all issues that could lead to extended downtime,” PinnacleART explains. “Downtime can cost businesses thousands of dollars a minute, so waiting until there’s an issue isn’t an option.”

Eliminating downtime is directly tied to lower costs. When businesses maximize their uptime, they don’t have to worry about losing business at the hand of issues and errors that could easily be avoided in the first place.

3. Fewer Repairs

Sometimes preventative maintenance uncovers issues and other times it doesn’t. However, at the end of the day, it almost always means fewer repairs and time savings. It doesn’t matter what type of technology or equipment it is, less time spent dealing with these issues means more time focused on core business activities.

4. Improved Safety

In certain industries, issues with technology could actually put the health and safety of employees at risk. This is certainly true in industrial fields, manufacturing plants, and businesses that rely on heavy machinery. Thus, it could be said that preventative maintenance is actually an investment in employee safety and well-being.

5. Greater Output and Efficiency

At the end of the day, preventative maintenance leads to greater output and efficiency. This directly impacts sales, profitability, and growth. The benefits here are pretty clear.

Protect Your Tech Investments

If your business is going to spend the money to invest in top-notch technology, it doesn’t make any sense to be reactive in your maintenance. A proactive or preventative approach is the way to go. It saves time, money, and frustration. If you don’t currently have a preventative maintenance strategy, work with someone who can help you formulate a strategy that’s appropriate for your organization.